This post covers the latest review on PlayOn products, especially the PlayOn Home, including the functions, price, usage and the best alternative.
For many cord-cutting users, PlayOn Home is one of the ideal tools available. This innovative software allows you to record TV shows and movies from various streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, and many more. Additionally, it enables offline viewing of these videos even after your subscription expires, making it a valuable asset for any streaming enthusiast.
PlayOn Home is a remarkable home theater PC (HTPC) software solution that combines multiple functions into one convenient platform. Acting as a DVR, media server, and streaming service aggregator all-in-one, PlayOn Home elevates your video viewing experience. In this comprehensive PlayOn Home review, we will explore its pricing, functionality, usage, alternatives, and its pros and cons.
By providing a thorough overview of PlayOn Home based on real tests, we aim to equip you with all the necessary information to make an informed decision before purchasing.
What is PlayOn Home?
This section covers essential information about PlayOn Home that you need to know, including its top functions, plans, and pricing. We will also highlight the differences between PlayOn Home and PlayOn Cloud to help you make a better choice based on your preferences.
Key Features
- Advanced Recording Functionality
PlayOn Home introduces a groundbreaking feature that allows you to record streaming video, giving you the freedom to watch anytime and anywhere, even offline. This software transforms your PC into a fully-featured DVR for streaming video, opening up a world of possibilities. You can cast your recorded content to your TV for a big-screen experience or transfer recordings to your mobile device for on-the-go entertainment.
- Automatic Ad Skipping
A standout feature of PlayOn Home is its automatic commercial skipping capability. No more wasting time waiting for advertisements to pass; when watching recorded content, PlayOn Home will automatically skip commercials, allowing for uninterrupted viewing pleasure.
- Automatic Episode Downloads
PlayOn Home automatically records new episodes as soon as they are released, ensuring you never miss a moment. With just one click, you can record an entire season of your favorite series, saving time and effort. Additionally, you can schedule recordings to take advantage of off-peak bandwidth, optimizing your streaming efficiency.
- Subtitle Support
To better cater to users' needs, PlayOn Home offers closed captioning and subtitle support for some downloaded videos, enhancing your offline viewing experience.
Pricing & Plans
PlayOn Home offers two subscription plans:
- 3-month plan: $14.97
- 1-year plan: $39.99
While these plans are straightforward, the absence of a monthly or lifetime option may not be ideal for all users.
Note: Although PlayOn Home offers a free trial, it does not include all premium features which may affect the overall experience for newcomers.
PlayOn Home vs. PlayOn Cloud
In today's streaming-centric world, PlayOn provides two innovative solutions: PlayOn Home and PlayOn Cloud. Whether you're traveling or simply catching up on your favorite series during your commute, PlayOn has you covered.
PlayOn Home, previously known as "PlayOn Desktop," enables you to transform your computer into a powerful streaming video recorder. With just one click, you can record all your favorite shows and movies directly onto your computer.
Saying goodbye to buffering and unreliable internet connections is easy with PlayOn Home; it allows you to transfer downloaded content to external storage for offline viewing on Windows PCs at your convenience.
PlayOn Cloud, on the other hand, leverages cloud technology to allow users to select and record their preferred content directly in the cloud without using local storage space.
This cloud-based approach ensures that you have access to your favorite shows and movies on mobile devices or PCs anytime and anywhere.
Comparison Table: PlayOn Home vs. PlayOn Cloud
| PlayOn Cloud | PlayOn Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 for 100GB |
|
| 1080P Recording | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Subtitle Support | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Skip Ads | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Batch Recording | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Off-peak Downloads | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Automatically Record New Episodes | No | Yes |
| Supported Devices | Mobile devices & PCs (Mac & Windows) | Windows PC only |
| Available Channels | 20+ | 20+ |
Note: The mentioned 20+ available channels include: Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, The CW, CBSO, Peacock, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, Discovery+, Acorn TV, Pluto TV, Paramount+, Tubi, Vudu, Roku Channel, BBC.
Is PlayOn Home Legal?
The legality of using PlayOn Home is clear; it remains compliant with copyright laws while providing users with the ability to record from streaming services legally. Just like traditional DVRs allow time-shifted recordings from personal accounts directly onto computers without circumventing Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems.
A distinguishing feature of PlayOn is its commitment to discouraging illegal file sharing by embedding user information in saved recordings. Each recording includes a dedicated card displaying the user’s name and IP address to deter unauthorized sharing.
The primary purpose of PlayOn is empowering individuals to preserve streaming content for personal use without violating copyright laws.
How to Record Shows with PlayOn Home?
This guide will walk you through simple steps to record shows on your Windows PC using PlayOn Home:
Navigating to the official website allows you to download the software easily and follow installation instructions.
Select "Channels" within PlayOn Home to explore an extensive list of available streaming services.
Brow through the vast library available on your selected streaming site within PlayOn Home and locate the desired content for download.
Select the show or movie you wish to record by playing it within PlayOn Home. Look for the "record option," click it once to start capturing every moment of the content you're enjoying.
Your completed recording will be saved as an MP4 file that can be downloaded onto your PC. Unlike various streaming services that impose expiration dates on content access, your recording will never expire!
The Best Alternative: StreamGaGa
If you're a Mac user, or if you're looking for powerful alternatives that meet more specific needs than what PlayOn offers, you should consider StreamGaGa! This software enables downloads from over 1500+ platforms in high quality!
Main Features of StreamGaGa
StreamGaGa stands as the best alternative to PlayOn Home, revolutionizing the world of streaming services. With StreamGaGa, you can download TV shows and movies on your mac/Windows PC from popular streaming services, with separate subtitle files.
One of the key distinguishing factors of StreamGaGa is its ability to download videos from various streaming services without any ads. Combined with many other attractive features, all of these come at a remarkably affordable price of just $123.3/LFT.
- Enjoy a crystal-clear viewing experience with 1080p HD resolution;
- Experience fast download with GPU Acceleration and Turbo Speed;
- Easily play and enjoy various formats such as MP4 and MKV;
- Use a single account across 5 PCs for added convenience;
- Download separate subtitle files;
- Efficiently download multiple files with batch download feature;
- Navigate seamlessly with the ad-free and user-friendly interface;
- Try it out with a free trial, allowing you to download up to 3 files in 30 days.
Detailed Download Procedure
You can go through the following simple steps to download videos from streaming services on your mac/Windows PC with StreamGaGa:
Get access to the download package of StreamGaGa through the official web streamgaga.com and follow the instructions to install the application.
Navigate to "VIP Services" or just enter the URL of the official web to get access to your favorite streaming service.
Login your own account using the build-in browser in StreamGaGa, and play the video you want to download. When you play it, StreamGaGa will automatically analyze the URL and prepare for your download.
When the analysis is done, customize your download settings in the on-screen prompt, including audio, video, subtitle and so on. Click on "Download Now" to initiate the download process, and the video will saved in your computer in compatible MP4 format.
Conclusion
In summary, PlayOn Home provides a reliable and efficient streaming experience with its impressive features and affordable price. However, for those seeking a more comprehensive and enhanced streaming service, StreamGaGa emerges as the best alternative.
With its top-notch features and detailed download procedure, StreamGaGa ensures an enjoyable streaming experience for all users.
And since you're here, you may also be interested in the way to fix PlayOn not working and other how to download videos with StreamGaGa.
